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March 17, 1925. 1,529,768

` J. BROMBACHER AUTOMATIC FLUID CONTROL Filedv 0G12. 9, 1922 INVEN TOR. Jax/0.5 n ama o aga-A ATTORNEY.

Patented Mar. 17, 1925.

UNITED STATES PAT J'U'LIUS BROMBAGHER, 0F LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA. i

AUTOMATIC FLUID CONTROL.

Application filed October 9, 1922. Serial No. 593,484.

T all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JULIUs BROMBACHER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, county of Los Angeles, and State 'of California, have invented a certain new and useful Automatic Fluid Control, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a fluid control and has especial reference to automatic means for controlling the iow of gaseous fluids to burners, more especially those employed in heating water, an object of the invention being to provide a simple, positive and effective contrivance for making safe any water heater using gas as a heating medium, against either the danger of gas escape or explosion.

Another object of the invention is to provide a safety control for gas-water heaters, either of the instantaneous or storage type, in which the physical conditions of heat and cold are respectively brought into play to control the iiow of gas to the burner, under all normall and abnormal circumstances, such for instance, as extinction of the pilot flame, faulty or wholly impaired operation of a thermostatic unit, where such is used, or excessive temperature of the water.

These and other objects are set forth in the following specification in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which,

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary side elevation, l

partly in section, showing the valve controlling mechanism, in association with a water heater and its appurtenant parts, and

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary front elevation of Fig. 1. V

The invention, broadly considered, consists Iof a valve controlling mechanism and controlling means for said mechanism, directly influenced by a flame; and a secondary controlling means independent of said pilot flame and directly influenced for operation by the heat of the water.

Specilically my invention comprises a valve housing 1, connected with a main gas supply 2, and containing a valve 3', for governing the flow of gas directly to a suitable burner 4, of a gas water heater 5, or indirectly through a thermostatically controlled gas valve, generally indicated as 6. ln the latter case, that is where a thermostatic unit is employed for regulating the temperature of the water, the valve housing 1, is arranged to be bolted on to the valve 6, that is under influence yof the thermostatic unit, whereby free communication is established between the twov valve housings 1 and 6,fand the gas conducted through a jet '7, into the mixing chamber 8, of the burner i The valve 3, contained in thehousing 1, is under the tension of a spring 9, lwhich is arranged to force and hold said valve upon a seat 10, to shut 0H the flow 4of gas, through the valve, as, and under the conditions hereinafter explained.

Said housing'l, is vpreferably. provided with a journal bushing 11, through Awhich is extended a shaft 12, provided with an eccentric portion 13, disposed in operative relation to the valve 3, and through the medium of which the said valve is unseated and held unseated or in open position to permit the gas to iow to the burner 4. On the end of the shaft 12 is provided a. Weighted lever 14, formed with an extension 15, for the purpose presently to appear, this lever 14, in the position indicated in. dotted. lines, Fig. 2, having turned the shaft and with` it the eccentric portion 13, and permitted the valve 3 to seat under the tension of the spring 9.V A tube 16, for conveying gas from theiniiowing supply for a pilot liame 17, is provided inthe valve housing 1, the quantity of such gas lfor the pilot flame 17, being regulated by a needlev valve 18.

To permit the flow of the gas through the valve housing 1, and eventually tothe burn-V er 4, the weighted lever 14, is raised tothe position, shown in Fig. 2, and there held by engagement of the extension 15, with a latch 19, 'only while the pilot flame is burning, as explained hereafter. The elevation or such lever 14.to the position, indicated, turns the eccentric portion of the shaft 12 and unseats the valve 3.

The latch 19 is pivotally mounted on the heater and is under the tension of va spring 20, which, when the influence of the pilot flame is present, insures the engagement of the latch with the Weighted lever 14. WV hen not in engagement with the weighted lever 14, as will appear hereafter, the movement of the said latch 19 relative to the heater is restrained by a plurality of nuts 21 on the end of a rod 22, which may extend through a pipe 23, preferably in the insulation in the heater, and also freely through a weighted lever 24, which overhangs the upper end of the pipe 23. The rod 22 is suspended from said lever 24 by adjustable means, as nutsr.25,'screwing on the endl of therod and bearing upon the upper surface of the lever 24, and the pipe 23 constitutes a rest or seat for the lever 24.

YThe other end of vthe lever 24, is' supported-y and held in inoperative position, as appearing hereafter, by a pin 26, Which connects the end of said lever 24 with a. lug 27, Ona fitting 28, provided on the top of the Water tank..29.v. This pin 26 iso.l af material .or metal that will fuse at a `predetermined temf perature, thatfis,gin ,the present inst-ance, a

heat ,1 above Vjboiling point, such .heat beingv conducted through theV fitting 28,. to the` fusiblegpin-26., Il forany reason, the VWater becomes; overheated, vthat is, heated-beyond a predeterminedtemperature, the heat will be' conducted1throughthe fitting "28;, and

fuseathepin -26, in consequence of which, that end of the lever 24, Willlrop. The upf; per. end .of the. ;pipe 23,;- thenfbecornes :ful-

crumy and Y the y-rod `22', moved upwardly; by

said glever .24,v lifts the latch 19, f and permits the Weighted lever 14, to ,fallto the dott-edl position,.shovvn in Fig. 2; Such action of; the Vle,v er=24, turnsthe eccentric ,portion Aof theshaft t12,*avvay from the valve ,3, Whichl then Vseats `irnmediately'fund'er the. pressure of'the spring9, preventing the -passageof any further supply of :gas and thus extin-` guishing theflame of the burner 4. In this manner thedangerof explosion or .other iin; juny'isavoided. l

The lowerportion offthefrod 22, as seen, is directly :under the influence of .thevfpil'ot flame 17, thev heat from which passes up- Wardly in saidpipe23. The rod,22,;,there. tore, inv response'to such thermal influence,

becomes elongated, and ins@ doing,v permits the latch to move Withinfthe/arc described byaxtlie Weighted :lever 14. SoA long as the pilot 1 flame or its iheat plays against; the

rod'. 24, and the temperature'of the Water has.; not Vexceeded that predetermined by .the rpin= 26, the latch 19,-Wi-,ll ccontinue -tofholdthe;l Weighted lever inLelevatedposition, in which the valve 3. is avide Yopen andthe;

position gas :maybefsuppliedto the burner in sthe variable yquantities demanded the temperature of theV Water... YHowever,should against A andythe .heater 1 is .made-absolutely 1.; In 1a WaterA` heater, 'the Kcombination ofl the .rmain agasfburner :and the 1l piloti-burner, ci.V aafvalveieto control the, supply 'rolf gas Lto the main burner, means -x -for operatingrsaid valve, alatchcooperating Withi-said mea-ns Iorholding ,OpenQSaidNalNe, ya ,rodconneeted at`1 one end -with #said latch aand influenced hy the. Apilot:liamewto :permit saidaalatehlgzto..

engage said valve operating means naleven connected witlinthe others end.' mf gsaid=,;rod, andpnieans; controllable .i by the ,temperature of the `i vvater ato.; causetsaid slever :to :operate said. red;

2. The combinationvina Waterheatergv-ith the main .gas 2 burner vand :the pilot b'urner, of v:avvalve `toicontetol `the supply'ofngas to said main Y-burner, nieansffor ope-rating said valve, y.a latchcofoperating with; said means for .holding open.y said lvalve, .a .f rody having one end thereof- 'iniengagement,Witlinsaid latchr and influenced by thefpilot vllame lo permitengageinenhiot said :latch :with said; op eratmg means@ a .,lejverito, Whichntheaothler,

end of said trod. isn'connected: fand means-no1 mally fhol'dmg said.: gleverflnoperative, said mea-ns controllable by e the. temperature 1 of the Water toxcause,saidlever to move andv oper-ate'fs'aid rod.`

In testimony Whereoic I have set my hand.

7 JULrUs nn oMBaeHnie. 

